Madison Snaps: December 27, 2006

Today's image is titled "Open Mendota" and was photographed by Kristian Knutsen.

Lake Mendota remains unfrozen with only a few days remaining in 2006. As the lake froze on Dec. 19 and Dec 25 in 2005 and 2004, respectively, this is the latest Madison's largest body of water has remained open since the winter of 2003-20004. Mendota froze two years ago on Jan. 7, only a week shy of the Jan. 14 freezing date during the 1999-2000 winter. That is the second latest freezing date in the lake's history since they started being recorded in 1855, only matched by the winter of 1889-1890 and exceeded by the winter of 1931-32, when it didn't freeze until Jan. 30. More information about the history of ice on Lake Mendota is available from the Wisconsin State Climatology Office.